In their simplest form, quesadillas are warm corn tortillas encasing spicy melted cheese, but the basic construction simply begs to be built upon. See the variations and keep in mind that the possibilities are endless—take advantage of what you have in the refrigerator or garden. Fresh corn tortillas are best, but flour ones are acceptable. You may dry-sauté the quesadillas, with no oil, in a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 to 12 servings as an appetizer or a midday snack or light lunch

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan, optional

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 pound pasilla or poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

　　Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas or eight 8-inch flour tortillas

　　1 cup grated Mexican melting cheese, like quesilla, queso asadero, Chihuahua, or Menonita (see page 85), mild Cheddar, or a combination

　　1/4 cup salsa (pages 610–612), Guacamole (page 22), or sour cream, optional

　　

Step 1

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. If the mixture begins to brown, add a little water to the skillet. Remove from the heat, stir in the cilantro, and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Set a large skillet, preferably nonstick or well seasoned cast iron, over medium-low heat. Add just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the skillet, if desired, and build your quesadilla: put a tortilla on the skillet, spread on an even layer of cheese and the chile mixture, then top with another tortilla. When the cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes, use a spatula to flip the quesadilla over. Cook just until the bottom tortilla is warm and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

　　

Step 3

Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream, if desired. (You can keep these warm in a 200°F oven for a few minutes if you like.)

　　

Grilled Cheese and Chile Quesadillas

Step 4

Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill; the fire should be moderately hot and the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. In step 2, brush one side of a tortilla with oil and set on the grill. Build your quesadilla, brush oil on the top tortilla, and proceed as directed.

　　

Additional Fillings

Step 5

All of the following are delicious.

　　

Step 6

Chopped cooked chicken (the Chicken Taco filling, page 323, would be perfect)

　　

Step 7

Chopped cooked pork (try the Shredded Pork, page 396)

　　

Step 8

Chopped cooked beef

　　

Step 9

Chopped cooked shrimp

　　

Step 10

Sautéed sliced mushrooms

　　

Step 11

Refried beans or thin slices of ripe avocado and tomato spread on the melted cheese

　　

Step 12

Caramelized onions

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.